Fluid collection bottle and improvements therein

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a vacuum-operated, fluid-collection bottle having advantageous, canted sealing surfaces between cover and container as well as other improvements including a perforate vacuum fitting, spherical top and bottom, .[.both convex and concave; float valve means incorporated in the vacuum port construction;.]. snap-lock engagement between the cover and container; graduation means for measuring small volumes of collected fluid, and so forth.

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 857,161,filed Sept. 11, 1969, by the same title now abandoned.

The present invention relates to vacuum operated, fluid collectionbottles and, more particularly, to a new and improved bottle of the typedescribed which can be used for collecting the body fluids of patientsin hospital operating rooms, recovery rooms, and so forth, by way ofexample.

In the past, a limited number of fluid collection bottles designed forvacuum operation have been devised. These bottles are separable, in thatthe bottle includes a container and a cover. Prior designs of which theinventors are aware, indicate that the covers and bottoms of suchbottles are generally flat and made of glass. Disposable-type bottles,those which the inventors presently contemplate, are to be made of asuitable plastic that requires special design considerations. For vacuumoperation, plastics suitable for disposable units are somewhat flexible.Hence, deformation of the general contour of the bottle will occur uponthe application of suitable reduced-pressure, for drawing fluid into thebottle. It is desirous, of course, to reduce such deformation to aminimum in order to preserve the integrity of the bottle, its volume,and the seal thereof between the cover and container.

.[.Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is toprovide a fluid collection bottle..].

An .[.additional.]. object is to provide a new and improved body fluidcollection bottle for hospital use.

A further object is to provide a fluid collection bottle having.[.either convex or.]. concave top and bottom surfaces.

An additional object is to provide a uniquely .[.configures.]..Iadd.configured .Iaddend.cover construction in a fluid collectionbottle which will not distort, at least appreciably, when a reducedpressure is applied to the interior of the bottle.

An additional object is to provide a vacuum bottle such as that having.[.a dome shaped cover,.]. a vacuum port inlet .[.in conjunction with aunique float valve shut-off.]..

An additional object is to provide a container-cover construction for avacuum bottle wherein the adjacent sealing surfaces thereof areconfigured to provide a maximum sealing effect.

A further object is to provide a vacuum bottle construction wherein aflexible cover thereof is simply snapped onto the container of theconstruction.

In accordance with the present invention, the over-all vacuum bottleconstruction includes a cover and bottom which .[.in one form of theinvention are dome shaped and in the other form of the invention.]. areconcave outwardly. .[.These constructions rely.]. .Iadd.Thisconstruction relies .Iaddend.on the compression or tensile strength ofthe material to preserve the integrity of the configuration of thebottle design when vacuum pressure is applied. .[.In one form of theinvention, a float-operated, shut-off valve is provided the vacuum portoperatively associated with the cover of the bottle..]. Uniquesurface-seal means is provided such that any slight deformation of thecover of the bottle is utilized to provide an adequate seal proximately.Iadd.of the .Iaddend.top rim of the container bottle when vacuum isapplied. An annular, ring-like protuberance and groove intercooperate tolock the cover of the bottle to the container thereof. Graduationmarkings are supplied .[.at the bottom of the container.]. so that.[.small.]. amounts of fluid may be measured in the .[.spherical bottomof the.]. container.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation in section, taken along a vertical, transversemedial plane, of a fluid collection bottle incorporating the features ofthe present invention.

.[.FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrates an alternate formof bottle construction..].

.[.FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken along the line 3--3in FIG. 1..].

FIG. .[.4.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.is an enlarged fragmentary section alongthe line .[.4--4.]. .Iadd.2--2 .Iaddend.in FIG. .[.2..]. .Iadd.1..Iaddend.

In FIG. 1, fluid bottle 10 is shown to include a container 11 and also acover 12. Container 11 includes an upper protruding margin .[.12.]..Iadd.12A .Iaddend.provided with an annular bead 13. Bead 13 is designedto fit as a sealing detent into annular recess 14 of the depending lip15 of cover 12. Cover 12 also includes a .[.top, dome, or.]. rigid endwall provided with fluid aperture 17 and vacuum aperture 30. Theseapertures are respectively delineated by depending tubular portions 19and 24. These may be integrally formed with cover 12, if desired.

Cover 12 also includes ports 21 and 22 for receiving the end fittings orend portions of conventional vacuum and fluid, tubes or hoses, notshown. The end of ports 21 and 22 are preferably tapered as shown at.[.22,.]. .Iadd.20 .Iaddend.so as to provide for the wedging of .Iadd.an.Iaddend.end fitting .[.23.]. thereupon.

.[.Port 21 is provided with a depending tube 24 having a cylindricalfloat chamber 25. Slidably but tightly disposed within chamber 25 is avalve gate 26. Stem 27 is secured to valve gate 26, is rigid in nature,and includes at its lower end a ball float 28. Apertures 29 and 18 areprovided in the construction, as seen in FIG. 3. A C-ring retainer 31may be provided to co-operate with annular internal grooves 32, and theC-ring retainer serves as a limit stop abutment for float 28 to precludethe latter from dropping into the interior of the container..].

.[.Where a vacuum shut-off is needed relative to the interior ofcontainer 11, then the structure as seen in enlarged view in FIG. 3 isappropriate. Thus, as the fluid level within container 11 rises, thesame will ultimately contact float 28, causing the same to rise; byvirtue of the rigid stem 27, the valve gate 26 will rise also. Forwardsurface 26A will ultimately close off aperture 30 such that the suctionapplied to the interior of the bottle is substantially reduced if noteliminated. As a safety feature, should the fluid level continue torise, then the rear surface 26B of the valve gate 26 will close off port29, thereby providing as a safety feature a double shut-off relative tothe apertures 29 and 30. Seat 33 may be configured to match exactly thecontour at 26C, the top of the valve gate 26..].

In returning to a consideration of container 11, it is seen that thebottom thereof is concave upwardly. The bottom is designated as34.Iadd.. .Iaddend..[.and the same may include annular interior markingsor graduations 35. Further markings.]. .Iadd.Markings .Iaddend.may.[.,of course,.]. be present at several incremental levels 36. Thesemarkings may be engraved, grooved, or otherwise applied to thecontainer. Preferably, container 11 will be transparent so that theobserver can easily note .[.not only.]. those markings exterior of thebottle.Iadd.. .Iaddend..[.but also the interior markings 35 as well.Interior markings 35 are ideally used where very small amounts of bloodneed to be accurately measured. This is especially important inoperative situations involving infants..]..Iadd.

The top portion 16 of the cover 12 is convex downwardly and the bottomend wall 34 of the container is convex upwardly. Such a constructionserves very well in connection with the vacuum techniques since, whenvacuum is applied, the inherent strength of the materials of container11 and cover 12 permits the tensioning of the bottom and top withoutessential distortion. .Iaddend.

The .[."dome".]. nature of top 16 of cover 12, and the bottom 34 of thecontainer 11, serve the important purpose of pre-stressing thestructure, when vacuum is applied to the container. Thus, it isanticipated that a minimum of distortion of container 11 in cover 12will occur when vacuum is applied. Additionally, a desired edge seal isproduced as between the upper edge E of the container and thecorresponding surface S on the underneath side of cover 12. In caseswhere bottom end wall 34 of container 11 and the top portion 16 of cover12 are simply horizontal and planarly configured, then the applicationof vacuum to port 21 tends to displace these two surfaces inwardly. Thisaction tends to distort slightly the over-all configuration of thebottle and may in some instances have a deleterious effect on the vacuumseal between the container and cover. Where the .[.dome.]. constructionrelative to cover 12 is utilised as in FIG. 1, then such displacement isless likely to occur and the seal and contour of depending lip 15 tendto be preserved. .[. In addition, where circular graduations 35 are usedat spherically concave bottom end wall 34, then appropriatedetermination of small volumes of fluid which accumulate at the bottomof the container can be accurately measured..]. Bottom 34 alsocompliments the action and effectiveness of configuration of cover 12 sothat greater strength of the over-all bottom construction is ensured.Additionally, the configuration of rigid bottom end wall 34 is lesslikely to become deformed when vacuum is applied.

In the operation, the tube or hose, not shown, connected to .[.endfitting 23.]. .Iadd.port 22 .Iaddend.is routed to the general operativearea of the patient and a vacuum hose connected to port 21. When vacuumis thus applied, the body fluid of the patient will be conducted by itshose through .[.end fitting 23 and.]. port 22 into the interior of thecontainer 11 as indicated by arrows A. This again, is by virtue ofevacuation of the interior of the bottle as shown by arrows B. The bodyfluid of the patient is easily measured.[., first, as to small amounts,by the bottom graduations 35 and, as the fluid continues to rise,.]. bythe outermost, spaced graduations 36.

.[.When the fluid level reaches float 28, in FIG. 3, the valve gate 26of valve construction V rises to close, first, aperture 30 and, second,aperture 29. Such a closure of valve V operates to terminate the suctionwithin the fluid bottle 10 so that the further drawing of fluid into thebottle is precluded. A new bottle is thus installed, the old oneremoved, and the draining process is continued..].

.[.FIG. 2 illustrates a slightly modified construction of the inventionwherein ports 21A and 22A are slightly differently configured asillustrated..]. A perforate cap P is fitted over the vacuum port toprevent foam and blood from being drawn up this port to the vacuum pump.The porting construction in FIG. .[.2.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.indicates thatboth ports, if desired, may be vertically oriented. .[.As seen in FIG.2, the bottom end wall 35A of the container is this time convexupwardly, with top portion or end wall 16A being convex downwardly. Sucha construction serves very well in connection with the vacuum techniquessince, when vacuum is applied, the inherent strength of the materials ofcontainer 11A and cover 12A permits the tensioning of bottom and topwithout essential distortion..]. In practice, it will be found that.[.either the outwardly-convex configuration of FIG. 1 or.]. theoutwardly-concave configuration of FIG. .[.2.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.willserve very well in connection with the vacuum techniques employed withfluid bottles. The particular construction selected will depend upon thecharacter of the plastics or other materials used and their abilities towithstand both stress and strain by the vacuum pressures contemplated,and so forth. What is important, in a preferred form of the invention,is that the top and bottom of the bottle construction be nothorizontally planar, but rather arcuate as shown .Iadd.in FIG. 1.Iaddend.so that the vacuum seal between the cover and container as wellas the inter-engagement thereof may be preserved.

FIG. .[.4.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.illustrates in enlarged, fragmentarysection that a preferred form of the upper lip L of container 11includes a canted portion L1 as well as a straight or horizontal portionL2. The portion L2 serves to support the sealing surface on cover.[.12A.]. .Iadd.12.Iaddend.. But with such support, experimentation hasindicated that there is needed an effective, canted, beveled, orslightly chamfered sealing surface S1. The same may be used to draw downand thus seat any transversely flexible cover used with container 11.Such a sealing surface may exactly fit the contour of a cover such ascover .[.12A.]. .Iadd.12 .Iaddend.in FIG. 2, or the same may be evenemployed with any other type of cover designs wherein the cover itselfis sufficiently flexible so as to permit such a "drawing down" in theseating of the cover at seal area S1 in FIG. .[.4..]. .Iadd.2..Iaddend.The materials suggested with regard to such inherentflexibility relative to cover 12, are polystyrene, polyethylene,polyurethane. The same materials, howbeit of stiffer grade, may beconventionally employed for container 11. Cover 12, of course, shouldhave sufficient flexibility such that the depending rim 15 of the covermay be passed over and snapped into engagement with the annular bead 13of container 11.

What is provided is a new and improved body fluid bottle constructionwhich is easily assembled and installed for use. .[.The same may includethe float valve if desired, as shown in FIG. 1..]. Of importance is thatadequate sealing surface means are provided as between the container andcover so that an effective vacuum seal may be preserved during operationof the equipment. Further, distortion during use of the bottle issubstantially reduced if not eliminated by the inclusion of curvedbottom and top surfaces of the bottle construction. These will generallycomprise spherical sections as shown such that the .[.dome.]..Iadd.cover .Iaddend.and bottom of the overall bottle construction.[.may.]. .Iadd.will .Iaddend.be .[.either convex outwardly or.].concave outwardly. Specifically, the concave cover design of FIG..[.2.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.prevents noticeable distortion of the coverupon the application of vacuum pressure, and this is paramount to thetotal design of this preferred embodiment of the system.

Again, the selection of the specific design will depend upon usage, thematerials desired in construction of the bottle, and so forth.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects.

We claim:
 1. A vacuum operated fluid collection bottle for recoveringbody fluids and comprising a container and a centrally concave cover.Iadd.removably .Iaddend.secured thereto, said concave cover beingessentially rigid and having an inwardly convex interior surface and anoutwardly concave exterior surface, said concave cover being essentiallyrigidly constructed in such configuration, prior to vacuum application,whereby to insure against cover collapse when a vacuum is applied, said.[.bottle.]. .Iadd.cover .Iaddend.being provided with a fluid admittanceport and a vacuum port, both of said ports communicating with theinterior of said bottle.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein saidcontainer includes an upper annular lip, said cover includes annularflange overlapping and sealingly engaging said lip.
 3. A vacuum-operatedfluid collection bottle including, in combination, a container having anupper lip, and a cover sealingly .Iadd.and removably .Iaddend.secured tosaid container, said cover having plural, exteriorly connectable, bottleinterior communication ports, said cover including a concave centralportion and an annular portion integral with said central portion andencompassing said container lip, said central portion having a concavesurface facing outwardly and a convex surface facing inwardly .Iadd.saidcover being so constructed, prior to vacuum application.Iaddend..
 4. Avacuum-operated body fluid collection bottle having cross-sectionallyarcuate, inwardly concave, essentially rigid opposite, concavo-convexend walls, constructed so prior to vacuum application, one of said endwalls being provided with a fluid admittance port and a vacuum port,both of said ports communicating with the interior of said bottle, oneof said end walls comprising a cover having a depending annular flangeencompassing said bottle.
 5. In a vacuum operated fluid collectionbottle comprising the combination of a container and an independentcover releasably secured over said container, said container and saidcover having inter-cooperating means whereby said container and covercan be releasably retained together in a sealing engagement, saidcombination being provided with fluid inlet port means and vacuum portmeans mutually spaced apart; and improvements wherein said cover has anessentially rigid concave construction, prior to and after vacuumapplication, protruding in a direction toward the interior of saidcontainer, whereby, when a vacuum is applied via said vacuum port means,said concave construction will preserve bottle integrity againstcontainer and cover collapse, said cover thereby having an inwardlyconvex interior surface and a concave outer surface facing outwardly. 6.The structure of claim 5 wherein said cover is provided with said fluidinlet port means and said vacuum port means.